Department to Premiere Video Promoting Healthy Eating Habits

To educate families in the Mountain State about the importance of developing healthy eating habits, the West Virginia Department of Education has produced an informative and fun video.

The video, "Food, Fun and Families," produced by the Office of Child Nutrition, will be shown to parent groups and child care providers and at parent-teacher training sessions beginning in November.

"This informative video stresses the importance of adults setting a good example by practicing healthy eating, as well as ways school nutrition programs and families can contribute to children's nutrition, health and learning," said Kathy Talley, nutrition education and training coordinator for the West Virginia Department of Education. "Children learn eating habits from their families, so parents and caregivers are faced with being good role models and providing healthy meals that children will eat. This video lets parents know there are solutions to the dilemma of establishing healthy eating habits and providing tasty, well-balanced meals even with today's hectic schedules."

According to Talley, the video uses humor and fast-paced segments to illustrate the importance of developing healthy eating habits at an early age.

Funded through a United States Department of Agriculture Team Nutrition Training grant, "Stepping Up for Healthy Families," the film features vignettes from families? daily lives to show how parents and children can eat healthy foods even when faced with a busy schedule.

Produced by Mountain Side Media Company of Huntington, the video will premiere at the Child Nutrition Stars Conference at Pipestem State Park on October 25. Beginning in November, the video will be available through county child nutrition directors, "Stepping Up for Healthy Families" participants, Nutrition Education and Training Cadre members and the Office of Child Nutrition.

For additional information, call the West Virginia Department of Education, Office of Child Nutrition, at (304) 558-2708.